We are awash with information on our environment, but simply Googling a topic may not be the best approach. Below is a curated list of reliable and authoritative sources of information and data with a strong water-related emphasis.
For EPA Biological Monitoring Results: https://epawebapp.epa.ie/QValue/webusers
(select 32, 33, 34 or 30 for hydrometric areas within Mayo)
Trout fly fishing on the River Moy Tributaries
Aquatic biosecurity Check Clean Dry campaign.
www.catchments.ie
For detailed local surface waters and groundwater information.
For Water Quality Maps – https://www.catchments.ie/maps/
For Water Quality Data: https://www.catchments.ie/data/
Have your say on the 2022-2027 River Basin Management Plan:
For Catchment Stories – newsletters and lots of local community actions: https://www.catchments.ie/stories/
For more detailed Science:
https://www.catchments.ie/category/science/
For Biodiversity Recording and Maps: http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/
For Reporting of Pollution – Making an Environmental Complaint (pdf document).
Climate Ireland has a huge range of projects dealing with climate change. It explains climate change and has information on how to adapt to it over a wide range of sectors.
Flooding and Rainfall Data
For water levels and river flow data: https://waterlevel.ie/.
For Flooding check out https://www.floodinfo.ie/map/floodmaps/.
Historical rainfall data and general climate data is available on Met.ie at https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/daily-data for the synoptic stations and at https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/historical-data for hundreds of smaller weather stations.
Nature-based Flood Control – Reports and a few useful videos:
The Natural Water Retention Measures Working Group has a number of useful documents on the Irish situation at:
https://www.catchments.ie/download/wfd-natural-water-retention-measures/
Also more information at:
https://www.catchments.ie/natural-water-retention-measures-implementing-the-flood-risk-management-plans/
A very useful explanation of changes we have made to river catchments from Professor Mary Bourke.
You tube clip – https://t.co/t5QMZdCoc1
Fran Igoe of LAWPRO discusses flood management in urban settings:
https://vimeo.com/686305130 (53 minutes in)
Maps
For General Maps of Ireland – Ordnance Survey: www.osi.ie
For the Geology of Ireland – Geological Survey of Ireland: www.gsi.ie
For Groundwater maps: https://dcenr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=a30af518e87a4c0ab2fbde2aaac3c228
For Fisheries Information: Inland Fisheries Ireland: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie
For Whales and Dolphin sightings: IWDG.IE
- LAWPRO Guidelines for Community Water Projects: http://louth.waters-project.com/index.php/guide-for-community-groups-working-on-water-projects-in-county-louth/
Guidelines for Communities Managing Local Wetlands and Peatlands – A Handbook https://communitywetlandsforum.ie/resources/
The European Centre for River Restoration has lots of examples of river restoration projects, a link to a Manual of River Restoration Techniques and lots more.
An Irish river restoration manual “Channels and Challenges, Enhancing Salmonid Rivers” can be downloaded from Inland Fisheries Ireland.
For Drinking Water Quality: http://www.epa.ie/water/dw/
For Information on Septic Tanks: http://www.epa.ie/pubs/advice/water/wastewater/
For a Great Range of Environmental Maps: https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/
For details of your local waste water (sewage) treatment plant:
https://epawebapp.epa.ie/terminalfour/wwda/index.jsp#.VJW2JXDJA
For info on the award-winning Streamscapes Programme for Catchment Awareness: http://streamscapes.ie/
On 7 Feb 2022 during the session we talked about organic farmed salmon v wild salmon. To be registered as ‘organic’ the Organic Food and Farming Standards in Ireland manual contains the protocols to be adhered to.
Bat Conservation Ireland has great info on bats including Daubenton’s Bat.
Salmon migration details of modern tracking research from the seasalar project described by Ken.
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More information on hard water lakes at this link.
More information on stoneworts and other aquatic plants at this link.
More information on Blue Dot lakes at this link.
The common tern is a protected species in Europe and in Ireland. More information at this link.
The otter is protected under Irish and European law and is a Red Listed species. More information on otter ecology at this link.
The white-clawed crayfish is considered a globally threatened species and Ireland holds one of the largest surviving populations. It is the only freshwater crayfish species found in Ireland and is protected under both Irish law and the EU Habitats Directive. Native crayfish populations are threatened by non native introductions of crayfish and by the crayfish plague. More information on Crayfish ecology at this link.